Now THIS is edge walking on the CN Tower!
I pulled these pics out of the notebook vault a couple of weeks ago during the buzz over the CN tower’s new Edge walk attraction. These are my notes and pics from about 1972 when I was invited along with Toronto Star photographer Boris Spremo to climb hand over hand on a ladder through the narrow concrete shoot onto the highest platform of the tower ( the one above the restaurant level). It was still under construction of course so we signed our life away through waivers for the chance to walk across the 2 x 6 ( ? ) flooring. We could see the expressway beneath us through the cracks of the wood. The only barrier along the edge was a rope. No straps , no harness, no chance.
What looks like a white line in one of these pics ( with my boot toe showing as perspective ) , is actually the expressway that can be seen in the gap between the boards. The other shot is looking down from our perch to the restaurant level.
The lightening shot I think is the very first photo ever published of the tower being struck. I took this shot from the control room of CKEY radio which was on the penthouse floor at # 1 Yonge. Of course I was working on the morning show with Keith ric and the vantage point gave me gave be a birds eye view of the tower going up from the time the first shovel went into the ground.
Yes, it was a dark and stormy early morning. lightening was flashing all around. I just left the shutter open on my 35 mm camera on the chance that a bolt would strike the tower tip. Unlike today’s instant digital viewing, I had to bring the film into the Toronto Star dark room lab to learn if we had anything.